As noted below, some of the answers were provided by independent gas safety expert Bob Ackley of Gas Safety USA.We welcome suggestions for additional questions; please send them to edwardsegalcommunications@gmail.com.
Impact of Gas Leaks
Q; What’s impact do gas leaks have?
A: Leaking natural gas is bad for the enviornment. because it releases additional harmful methane gas into the atmosphere; kills or damages adjacent trees and vegetation; and may impact your bank account by increasing the bills you pay to the gas company.
When the Problem Started
Q: When did gas leaks first become a problem in Washington?
A: More than 100 years ago. Beginning in the early 1900s “underground gas leaks became an increasing problem as the city grew.” according to City of Trees: The Complete Field Guide to the Trees of Washington, DC (published by Center Books, 2008, third edition, page 5)
Recent Gas Explosions and Fires
Q: I saw news stories about the gas-related explosions and fires in the Boston suburbs. Could something like that happen in my neighborhood?
A: Although unlikely, instances like the Merrimack Valley incident in Massachusetts can happen anywhere there are natural gas pipelines. (Source: Gas Safety USA)
Jurisdiction Over Washington Gas
Q: Which government agency has jurisdiction over Washington Gas?
A: The DC Public Service Commission. Click here to access their website.
Additional Information
Q; Where can I go to learn more about issues related to the safety of gas pipelines?
A: The Pipeline Safety Trust
TRANSPARENCY
Obtaining Information About Current Gas Leaks and Repairs
Q: Where can I go to learn about the status of gas leaks and repairs in my neighborhood?
A: Unfortunately, you can’t. The company does not make that important information available to the public.
But there are role models to follow. For example, ConEd maintains a live gas leak map for New York City, which Bob Ackley of Gas Safety USA says is, “the best, in my opinion.” Click here to see the reporting page on the ConEd website.
HEET, a non-profit organization in Massachusetts, provides on their website information about leaks in the state, based on the required reports from the gas companies. Click here to see how this important data is shared with the public.
Q; What is AlertDC, and do they send out information about local gas leaks and repairs?
A: According to their website, AlertDC is the official District of Columbia emergency alert and warning system. This system enables the District to provide people with critical information for a variety of situations, including utility outages.
However, there is no indication on their website that they send out alerts concerning local gas leaks and repairs. If they decide to do this in the future, we will update this blog accordingly. Click here to receive alerts from AlertDC about other situations.
Advance Notification of Work
Q; What advance notice does Washington Gas provide to my neighborhood about the work that they will or are doing?
A: They do not do what they claim to do, at least in Edwards Segal’s Georgetown community. A spokesperson for Washington Gas told the Washington City Paper that it uses door hanger inserts to notify residents in the neighborhoods when they are conducting leak repair service and provide contact information for the crew supervisor for people who have questions about repair work.
However, Segal said that he has never seen such notices in his neighborhood and did not receive any notices when repair work was done in front of or adjacent to his house in the 2800 block of O Street, NW.
Use of Social Media
Q: Does Washington Gas use social media to communicate with the public about the status of gas leaks and repairs?
A: No. According to the gas company, “We do not use an automated system to update area residents on gas odor calls or emergency leaks.”
HOW TO READ THE INFORMATION ON THE STREET
What the Markings on Streets and Sidewalks Mean
Q: What do the different color markings mean that gas companies spray paint on streets and sidewalks?
A: Gas operators will “mark out” gas pipelines with yellow paint and “mark out” with white paint and any that are intended for excavation, When any excavation of public or private property is scheduled, it is the law that the entity that is conducting the investigation to contact “dig safe” that will notify all owners of under ground structures to “mark out” their facilities within three business days of notification to prevent and damage to pipelines or other underground utility structures. (Source: Gas Safety USA)
Washington Gas says it uses the markings that are described on the Miss Utility website. Click here to sees chart of the colors and what they mean. The spray-painted colors indicate the following.
Yellow: Gas lines
Blue: Water lines
Red: Electricity lines
Orange: Communication lines
Green: Telephone lines
White: An area that has been marked for excavation
Drill Holes in Pavement
Q: Why does the gas company drill small holes in the pavement near suspected gas leaks?
A: Drill holes are made in a series; they are typically 6’ apart and drilled adjacent to a pipeline. The holes facilitate taking subsurface combustible gas indicator readings that allow workers to pinpoint the source of the leaking gas. (Source: Gas Safety USA)
Emergency No Parking Signs
Q: There are “emergency no parking” signs on my street that say that the parking will be restricted because of “gas line repairs”. Does this mean that there is a gas leak on my street?
A: The excavation of gas lines is not always done in connection with the repair a leak. There may be new services that are to be installed, retired, or “cut off” from the main service line. Other maintenance issues may also require excavation.(Source: Gas Safety USA)
The Significance of Dead or Dying Street Trees and Vegetation
Q: What should we know when we see vegetation and trees that are obviously dead or dying?
A: It is settled science that there is a link between leaking natural gas pipelines are nearby trees and vegetation. Unless those leaks are repaired, it is futile to keep planting more trees in those locations. Otherwise, we are just wasting money and killing off more trees.
PRIORITIZING GAS LEAKS
How Leaks are Graded
Q: How do gas companies categorize their leaks?
A: Gas leaks are graded to indicate their potential cause for harm or damage to persons or property. Existing hazards are supposed to be repaired or alleviated when they are discovered, while potential hazards are monitored until they are repaired.
Leaks that are expected to become hazardous to persons or property are monitored on an annual basis until repaired or the pipeline is replaced with a non-leak-prone pipeline such as plastic. (Source: Gas Safety USA)
Q: How does Washington Gas grade their gas leaks?
A: Under DC law, “Each gas leak shall be categorized as Grade 1, 2, or 3. All leaks shall be classified with the following criteria:
Grade 1: A leak that presents an immediate or probable hazard to persons or property, and requires immediate repair or continuous action until the conditions are no longer hazardous;
Grade 2: A leak that is recognized as being non-hazardous at the time of detection, but requires scheduled repair based on probable future hazard; and
Grade 3: A leak that is non-hazardous at the time of detection and can be reasonably expected to remain non-hazardous.” (Source: DC Office of People’s Counsel)
REQUIRED RESPONSE TIMES
Required Response Times
Q: How quickly does Washington Gas have to respond to and be at the site of gas leaks that are reported to them by customers?
A: By law,Washington Gas must respond to and be on the site of the leak within 50, 60, or 95 minutes depending on how the odor of gas is described and when the call about the odor is received. (Source: Office of People’s Counsel)
WHEN IN DOUBT….
Frustrations with the Gas Company
Q: I’ve repeatedly called the gas company about a persistent gas odor, but they have not come to fix the problem or, even if they do come, they do nothing about it. What should I do next?
A: Call 911 or the local fire department first; the fire department’s response times are usually 3-5 minutes as opposed to an hour wait for the gas company to respond. (Source: Gas Safety USA
NOTIFICATIONS AND FOLLOW-UP REPORTS
Q; Is Washington Gas required by law to report gas leaks and repairs to the DC government and regulators?
A: Yes, but Washington Gas is not required to inform the public about those same leaks and repairs.
Q: What information about the leaks is Washington Gas required under the law to report to the DC Public Service Commisions’s Office of Enforcement (OE) and the DC Office of People’s Counsel (OPC)? (See above for a description of each grade level.)
A: Grade 1: Each telephone and e-mail report of a Grade 1 leak or a leak due to a gas-related odor complaint shall state clearly, at a minimum, the following information:
The natural gas utility shall provide regular updates to the initial report as it receives more information.
Grade 2: Each e-mail report of a Grade 2 leak shall state clearly, at a minimum, the following information:
(Source: DC Office of People’s Counsel)
Follow-up Notifications to the Community by Washington Gas
Q: Is Washington Gas required to report to the community the status of leaks, the repairs that have been made, or the likelihood that additional work will have to be done on the site of those leaks?
A: No. As part of their response to a complaint filed against Washington Gas in 2017 with the DC Public Service Commission, the utility said that, “We do not use an automated system to update area residents on gas odor calls or emergency leak repairs.”
But as noted above, there are role models to consider. For example, ConEd maintains a live gas leak map for New York City, which Bob Ackley of Gas Safety USA says is, “the best, in my opinion.” And he notes that Massachusetts has had a reporting law on their books for several years. Click here to see the reporting and monitoring site maintained by HEET, a non-profit organization in that state.
Q; Is Washington Gas required to keep the DC Public Service Commission’s Office of Enforcement (OE) and the DC Office of People’s Counsel (OPC) updated about the repair of gas leaks?
A: Yes. The requirements for each grade of leaks follow below.
• All Grade 1 leaks shall be promptly repaired. If not repaired immediately, upon detection, the utility shall submit a weekly written report to OE and OPC regarding the status of and the utility’s progress in completing the leak repair. The natural gas utility shall inform OE and OPC prior to making any changes to the estimated leak repair time(s).
Each written report concerning Grade 1 leaks or customer reported odor complaint leaks shall state clearly, at a minimum, the following information as applicable to the incident:
(a) Address and location of the leak or odor;
(b) A description of the type of leak;
(c) Pressure involved (Transmission, High Pressure, Medium Pressure or Low Pressure);
(d) The ward(s) and/or quadrant(s) where the leak has been identified;
(e) The time the utility received the first call regarding a gas leak or leak detection;
(f) The cause of the leak, if known;
(g) The actual repair time; and
(h) Any action taken to date.
• Grade 2 leaks shall be monitored and reevaluated at least once every six months until cleared with no further signs of leak. Depending on the location and magnitude of the leakage condition, reevaluation may be made earlier than six months. If reevaluation of a Grade 2 leak indicates potential hazard, it shall be scheduled for repair within five (5) working days of completed evaluation.
For Grade 2 leaks that do not pose an immediate hazard, the utility shall schedule repairs within thirty (30) days. Grade 2 leaks shall be repaired or cleared within one calendar year, but no later than 15 months from the date the leak was reported.
• Grade 3 leaks shall be monitored and reevaluated during the next scheduled leak survey, or within 15 months of the date reported, whichever occurs first, until the leak is repaire or cleared with no further signs of leak.
Written reports for leaks classified as Grade 2 and Grade 3 shall be filed semi-annually with OCMS and OPC. The report shall be submitted forty-five (45) days after the reporting period, starting with the six-month reporting period following the NGQSS’s adoption in Title 15 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR).
Each semi-annual written report concerning Grade 2 leaks, shall state clearly, at a minimum, the following information as applicable:
(a) Address and location of the leak or odor;
(b) A description of the type of leak;
(c) Pressure involved (Transmission, High Pressure, Medium Pressure
or Low Pressure);
(d) The ward(s) and/or quadrant(s) where the leak was identified;
(e) Assessment as to the cause of the leak(s); and
(f) The schedule and the status of repair of all Grade 2 leaks consistent with the standard provided in Section 3702.10.
• Each semi-annual written report concerning Grade 3 leaks, shall state clearly, at a minimum, the following information as applicable:
(a) Address and location of the leak or odor;
(b) A description of the type of leak;
(c) Pressure involved (Transmission, High Pressure, Medium Pressure
or Low Pressure);
(d) The ward(s) and/or quadrant(s) where the leak was identified; and
(e) The status of reevaluation and repair schedule, if applicable, of Grade 3 leaks, consistent with Section 3702.11.
(Source: DC Office of People’s Counsel)
DATABASE
Database of known gas leaks
Q: Is Washington Gas required by law to maintain a database of gas leaks?
A: Yes. According to the law:
o The natural gas utility shall create and maintain database(s) for all gas leaks and customer reported gas-related odor complaints.
o The database(s) shall be referred to as the “Leak Identification, Detection and Repair, and Odor Complaints (LIDAROC)”.
The database(s) shall contain, at a minimum, the grade of the leak, type of leak, location of the leak, the ward and/or quadrant where the leak occurred, estimated number of customers whose services were disrupted because of the leak, the cause of the leak, response time, estimated and actual time to repair the leak, and actions taken.
o The natural gas utility shall incorporate all natural gas leaks and customer reported odor complaint calls into the database(s) within five (5) days of receipt of the gas-related odor complaint and/or determination that a leak has occurred on its gas system.
o The database(s) shall be organized in a way that permits analysis of the data by the time taken to respond, repair, and resolve the gas leaks.
o The natural gas utility shall update the database(s) after it has repaired and/or resolved the leak and customer reported odor complaints and shall submit an electronic and a hard copy of the database (s) to [the DC Public Service Commission’s Office of Enforcement] and [the DC Office of People’s Counsel] on a quarterly basis.
(Source: DC Office of People’s Counsel)
CALL TO ACTION
Suggested Reforms and Improvements
Q: What can be done to ensure accountability, transparency, and communication from Washington Gas about the problem of frequent leaks and repairs?
A: Washington Gas should share with the public the same information it is now required to share with the DC governemnt about gas leaks and repairs. Click here here to see the “Call to Action” that has a 10-point plan of suggested reforms and improvements.
DC Gas Leaks 